District declares salaries, expenses

New Westminster school district had 23 employees, including 15 principals and vice-principals, in the $100K club during the 2011-12 school year.

The information was revealed in the required statement of financial information (SOFI) report presented to the board of education Tuesday. The provincial government requires public bodies to declare all employees who make at least $75,000, which in New West school district totaled 208 in 2011-12, a year in which the school district reported an accumulated deficit of $2.8 million.

The highest paid district employee was superintendent John Woudzia, who pulled in more than $159,000 in salary and $6,000 in expenses.

His remuneration was over $4,000 more than the total salaries paid to the seven-member board of education. Top pay amongst the trustees went to Michael Ewen, who served as chair and vice-chair during the year, at $23,600. He also claimed the most expenses at $3,580.

The 208 district employees paid in excess of $75,000 totaled $17.9 million, while those getting paid less than $75,000 collectively earned $29.7 million.

The SOFI report also includes a list of 104 companies and non-employees receiving at least $25,000 from the district. The total supply bill was $25.8 million, with the largest payments going to pensions and employee benefit suppliers.

Alkins Project Services, run by Jim Alkins who is coordinating the district's three capital school projects, received $190,600 in payments during the school year. It was considerably less than what he received the previous year which was $350,000.

Golder Associates, an environmental consulting firm based in Burnaby hired to assist with the projects, was paid $51,000, up from the $28,000 it received in 2010-11.

Trillium Infrastructure Solutions was paid $49,000 for the Ministry of Education's representative on the project Doug Hibbins.

Substantial payments were also made to three hazardous material handling companies—Enviro-Vac ($128,100), Pro-Active Hazmat and Environmental ($51,300), and Sure Hazmat and Testing ($37,600). Only Enviro-Vac received money ($51,685) the year before.

Realcom Advisors Inc., a West Vancouver company, received $725,000 as rent for the district's Columbia Square offices and continuing education centre.

The district also paid CINEC, an international education company that helps the district's business company with its global education programs, $223,500. CINEC employees Russ Pacey, a former associate superintendent who left the district in 2006 for unexplained reasons pocketing $175,000 in severance, as its president. The company got $216,000 in 2010-11.

Ewen and secretary-treasurer Brian Sommerfeldt declined to comment on any of the expenses until after Tuesday's board meeting. However, Ewen did say the board should be looking at all of its expenses to determine how to recover its deficit.

"I think everything should be on the table, including programs," said Ewen. "There should be no sacred cows in this."

School District 40's $100K club

John Woudzia, superintendent, $159,000

Brian Sommerfeldt, secretary-treasurer, $137,000

Al Balaniuk, assistant superintendent, $134,000

Mary Bushman, NWSS principal, $124,000

Sandra Pace, director of instruction, $119,000

Janet Grant, director of instruction, $118,000

Phil Cookson, district principal community education $114,000

Patricia Ferris, Lord Tweedsmuir principal $112,000

Marlene Jack, Glenbrook middle principal, $112,000

Debbie Jones, Queensborough middle principal, $111,000

Jacob Sol, Richard McBridge principal, $108,000

Rhonda Anderson, NWSS vice-principal, $107,000

Kelly Boechler, NWSS vice-principal, $107,000

Karen Catherwood, John Robson principal $107,000

Chris Evans, Connaught Heights principal, $107,000

Tracy Fulton, Herbert Spencer principal, $107,000

Laura Howell, NWSS vice-principal, $107,000

Stephen Inniss, NWSS vice-principal, $107,000

Ken Millard, Hume Park/Howay principal, $107,000

Daljeet Rama, Kelvin principal, $107,000

James Sadler, Queen Elizabeth principal, $107,000

Douglas Templeton, maintenance director, $106,000

Diane Halkett, district administrator-student services, $100,000

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